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Special Group has been appointed Uber’s creative agency across New Zealand and Australia.

It’s understood the appointment comes after fierce competition between Australian agencies, however, when StopPress contacted Special Group it was unable to comment.

According to Mumbrella, there were three stages for the agencies to go through, including an initial introduction and credentials consultation, followed by several short lists.

It also says the ride share company’s local work was previously coming from Gold Coast agency 40/40 Creative. However, it's unsure if the agency was also behind the campaigns we've seen in New Zealand that celebrate Uber drivers by giving an insight into their lives.

Locally, Uber has also been part of a number of initiatives, including a kitten delivery via the SPCA, a Dragons' Den style business pitch for Techweek and a fleet of ice cream and milk deliveries with Lewis Road Creamery. More recently, it's launched UberEats to deliver restaurant meals to hungry Uber users.

Yesterday, Uber celebrated three years of ridesharing in New Zealand, which has seen its rider numbers build to 300,000 and driver partners grow to 4,000 across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

However, during those years, it’s faced a number of crises due to safety concerns surrounding its drivers and how it pays them. One Mumbrella commenter suggested it hires a damage limitation agency rather than a creative one.

But a local creative agency and subsequent campaign work may help to improve the image as well.

The appointment follows the news that Special Group Australia's founding creative partners, Matty Burton and Dave Bowman, will be departing to take over the Google Zoo operation across the Asia-Pacific region in August.

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